


Jumpman

by Dekka



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Boyfriends in love, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 06:28:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16948758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dekka/pseuds/Dekka
Summary: “Was that good?” Mitch asks from behind him.Auston can’t help but laugh, still trying to catch his breath.





	Jumpman

Careful, nimble fingers trace the line of muscle from Auston’s shoulder down to his back. He feels like a cat with the way he leans into the touch, and just went he wants it most, finger tips turn into blunt nails, tearing carefully down his spine. 

It’s Thursday night, a night after a loss, and where he’d normally feel a pit in his stomach from the defeat, is instead a spot filled to the brim with warmth. 

“Was that good?” Mitch asks from behind him, plastered to his back in a vague imitation of super glue. 

Auston can’t help but laugh, still trying to catch his breath. 

“Great,” he promises. 

Normally, after a loss, sex feels like too much of a reward. But not tonight. 

Mitch’s cold feet wrap around his ankles. “You’re like a space heater,” he groans thankfully. 

As much as Auston hates Mitch’s perpetually cold hands and feet, he loves the rest of him, so he does his best to not flinch away. 

“You Canadians, always sucking the warmth out of everything,” he chirps. He pretends to try to roll further away from Mitch in bed, but like he knew he would, Mitch just tugs him closer, not letting him go. 

It’s nice, to be held like something delicate, something worth holding on to. 

“Okay Arizona boy,” Mitch throws right back, “we know who really does the sucking in this relationship.” 

It barely makes sense, especially when Mitch was the one who dropped to his knees nearly the second Auston’s bedroom door was closed, but still Auston finds himself hiding a smile in the pillow shoved beneath him, his shoulders shaking. 

“Don’t laugh,” Mitch chastises him, pinching at the stubborn roll of fat clinging to Auston’s abs. It’s been there since his latest injury break and as much as Mitch loves it, Auston isn’t too fond of how long it’s stuck around. 

“Hey,” he warns, spastically rolling over to get away from Mitch’s claws. His back stays pressed to Mitch’s chest when his boyfriend refuses to give up his hold, his weight settling mostly over Mitch. “Look who’s in a tough spot now,” he teases. Mitch squirms under him, but can’t get out from beneath his weight without consequently letting go of his hold. 

“I’ll fight you,” Mitch warns, but still, his iron-tight grip doesnt budge.

“Tough guy,” Auston whispers fondly, rocking his weight back before rolling over onto his stomach. Mitch lets him go, but just barely, giving them enough room to separately burrow under the blankets and get comfortable. 

They’re silent then, and just when Auston’s starting to think Mitch fell asleep, he hears a whispered, “Night, Aus,” from behind him. 

He’s half asleep himself, but still, he finds the energy to turn his head just enough for Mitch to learn forward to plant a kiss on his cheek. 

“Night,” he echoes. 

***

Two weeks later, it’s snowing for the first time this winter, these giant flakes that look almost unreal as they float down from the sky, and Auston can’t find it in himself to be happy. 

“You’re being so dramatic,” Willy tells him. 

Auston can’t pull his eyes from the windows in his living room. Mitch loves the snow. 

“Mitch loves it when it snows,” he tells Willy. 

“ _Oh my God._ ” 

Auston’s blindsided by the pillow that comes whipping at him. He’s glad though; at least now he has something to hold onto.

“Just call him already,” Will complains. Auston spares a glance his way, and isn’t surprised to see his best friend looking completely disinterested, his head buried in his phone. 

“It’s like you don’t even care.” He has a right to feel hurt, he tells himself. 

Willy’s head shoots up, his glare annoyingly exasperated. “Mitch’s plane literally left six hours ago. This is pathetic, Matts.” 

Auston’s heart sinks. “He used to call me Matts,” he whines. 

There’s no sympathy from his better half; Will’s eyes roll. “Now I know you’re fucking with me.” 

He is- kind of- but still, Auston cant deny there’s a certain sadness hanging in the air of his apartment without the usual sound of Mitch clattering around the kitchen or stubbing his toe on the bar stool he swears moves on its own. 

***

Mitch comes back from his family vacation two days after Christmas and goes straight to Auston’s place, his bags still in tow. 

“Miss me?” He asks. 

It’s not even a question where Auston’s concerned. He pulls Mitch in by the collar of his hoodie and neither of them leave the apartment for days. 

The team group chat blows up, guys trying to set up a night to go out, but they’re _busy, alright?_

***

Having time off when you’re usually constantly working is admittedly difficult. There’s not much to do but lay around and even the novelty of that eventually wears off. So, Mitch texts the team chat to set up a workout and Auston sits back and admires the toned muscles of his boyfriend’s shoulders as he taps out message after message. 

Next to him, he can see his own screen flooding with notifications, but Mitch is a more assuming read. His boyfriend bites absentmindedly at his nails, perched at the foot of the bed as his eyes trace his screen and his lips trace over responses every other second. 

It’s endearing. 

Auston nudges him with his toe. “What’re they saying?” 

Mitch flaps a hand at him, shushing him. 

A minute later, when Mitch turns around with a sickeningly sweet smile, Auston already knows he’s not going to like what his teammates have set up. 

In the end, it takes Mitch, Freddie, and Willy to pull him from the apartment. 

They want to go sledding. 

In the dead middle of winter. 

In Canada. 

Auston tries to tell them he’ll die, but Mitch isn’t having it. “I’ll keep you warm, you big baby,” he teases. 

It’s negative two degrees today. 

“It’s negative two degrees today,” Auston says. 

Mitch and Willy share a look, as if this isn’t a completely rational reason to stay indoors for any sane person. 

Auston thinks he’s won though, when Mitch settles on the edge of the couch and begins gently kneading his shoulder. It feels good. Really, really good. His eyes slip closed for a half a second as his body melts under the touch. 

“Aus, baby,” Mitch says, pulling his attention back to him. His boyfriend’s voice is soft, but deep and comforting, making him smile up at Mitch, thankful that he’s giving in. 

He should’ve known better. 

“Your janky imperial system means nothing to me,” Mitch tells him cheerfully, his faux-caring attitude still perfectly held in place. 

Auston tries to hold onto the arm of the couch to stop them from pulling him off of it, but he’s no match for the great dane, yet alone his over-excited boyfriend and pushy best friend. 

***

“Isnt this fun?” Willy asks him, hours later, turning completely around in the passenger’s seat to smile rudely at Auston. 

There’s eight of them jammed into an uber. The only thing that’s relatively keeping Auston’s head on straight is the fact that Mitch has to be sitting half in his lap, half in Freddie’s to fit all of them in the van.

“So much fun,” Auston lies with a tight smile. 

He has a hard time pretending to be unimpressed once they actually make it to the slopes. 

“Go down with me,” Mitch begs, tugging at Auston’s arm. 

“Rather go down _on_ you,” he grumbles. 

There’s no telling what’s worse; that Mitch is seemingly unfazed by his clap-back, or that Auston actually gives in to his request. 

And it’s…really fun. 

Yeah, he’s cold. Yeah, his socks are wet. But his boyfriend hasn’t stopped smiling since they got here and it’s absolutely contagious. 

“Still not having any fun?” Willy chirps him, when Mitch finally lets them head back to the chalet for hot chocolate. 

“Fuck off,” Auston shoots back. 

“Pouty Matty,” Willy coos. 

“Did you even go down the hill once?” Auston asks skeptically. He’s pretty sure Willy and Zach haven’t left the hotel since they all went off their separate ways. 

Mitch elbows him in the ribs, hard. 

Oh. 

“Need a condom?” He asks seriously.

Willy’s mouth drops unattractively, but Zach, Zach takes the cake. “Yeah, that’d be great actually,” he says. 

Auston’s the one left gaping, but when he looks to his boyfriend for help, Mitch is no better.

“You,” Auston points accusingly at Zach, “What the hell. ‘Innocent Zach’ my ass.” 

Even still, Auston digs in his jacket pocket and pulls out his wallet. 

He gives them the whole strip, just in case. 

“There’s a sample lube packet on the end, too. It’s blueberry flavor,” Mitch tells them cheerfully. 

If Willy’s face gets any redder, Auston thinks he might actually pass out. It’d serve him right. 

***

Because Auston’s a push over, and they still have days left of their break, Mitch convinces him to fork out money for a mountain side chalet for them and some of the other guys. 

They don’t see Zach or Willy for the first six hours, but everyone else ends up lazed around the living room, trying to work heat back into their limbs under piles of blankets. 

“So, you guys seem pretty serious,” Mo mentions casually, when a lull takes over the team’s regular banter. 

Mitch is spooning Auston in front of the fireplace, and if it hadn’t been for Mo’s call-out, Auston doubts either of them would’ve remembered they were in a room full of people. 

“Yeah, it’s been what- five months now?” Freddie asks them. 

Auston can feel Mitch shrug behind him. “Something like that,” he says. 

“Six and half actually,” Auston corrects, not that he’s been counting, “if you consider the road trip week as when we got together.” 

There’s a collective groan from their teammates that makes Mitch hide a laugh in the back of Auston’s shoulder. 

“We could hear you guys two rooms away,” Brownie chirps. 

“I don't think anyone slept on that trip,” Mo winces. 

It wasn’t their best moment. 

“I was just happy when the yelling stopped,” Marty snorts. 

Brownie shoots him an annoyed glance. “Because the following two hours of moaning was that much better?” 

Auston pointedly clears his throat, ending the conversation. 

***

“So, six months?” Mitch asks, once they’re getting ready for bed that night. 

Auston spits out his toothpaste in the sink, meeting his boyfriend’s eyes in the mirror. 

It doesnt feel like six months. It’s felt like days. 

“Crazy, huh?” He smiles. 

They hear a thud from the room next to them, probably Freddie or Zach, but neither can tear their eyes from each other. 

Mitch doesnt waste anymore time. “Your anniversary present will be waiting for you in bed.” 

They have sex face to face, Auston grinding in lazy, short trusts into Mitch, his hand clamped over his boyfriend’s mouth to keep him quiet. 

***

Around four am Auston wakes up slowly, his arms dotted in goosebumps and a shiver working down his spine. 

He mumbles for Mitch, his hands searching the bed next to him for his boyfriend or the blankets so that he can warm up, but he finds neither. 

“Mitch?” He grumbles louder. 

Despite knowing he’s being ridiculous, his eyes open in panic. “Mitch?” He calls, sitting up in bed. 

There’s just enough moonlight filtering into the room for Auston to see the empty bed next to him and the cracked open tilt to the door. 

He waits, thinking maybe Mitch just went to get water or something, but when he rolls over onto Mitch’s side of the bed he finds that the blankets have long since lost their warmth. 

He’s worried enough that he eases the sheets back and pads barefoot into the hallway. There’s not many places to go in the cabin, so he slowly makes his way down the steps, wishing he would’ve thought to put on a sweatshirt or pants so he wouldn’t be creeping around the place in his boxers. 

Luckily, he finds what he’s looking for. Light from the kitchen pours into the hallway, a mix of two voices echoing to him. 

Normally he wouldn't, but something about the whispered tones has him pausing for a second, not ready to turn the corner and announce his presence. 

“Being with him is just-” that’s Mitch’s voice. Auston’s heard that voice at it’s most vulnerable from nights of Mitch baring his heart to him like he seems to be doing with someone else now. 

For a brief second Auston considers turning back, afraid of what he might hear. 

“Being with Auston is nothing like I expected it would be,” Mitch finishes. He doesnt sound happy or wistful. He sounds sad. 

Something in Auston’s chest twists painfully. He waits to hear Mitch clarify what he’s said, because honestly it doesnt sound good, but instead he hears a sharp intake of breath. It’s the sound Mitch makes when he’s trying not to cry. 

Auston strains harder to hear. 

“What do you mean, Mitchy?” That’s definitely Willy. “Here, come here,” he says. There’s a shuffling sound, like Willy is holding Mitch, comforting him. 

Auston feels sick to his stomach. 

“I love him,” Mitch hiccups, “a lot.” 

_Oh_. 

“You’re such an idiot,” Auston hears Willy whisper, his voice somehow still soothing. 

“I fucking know, alright?” There’s more shuffling, like Mitch pushed Will away. 

Auston wonders if he should turn around now. 

“I never thought I could have this, Will.” Mitch sounds shaken. “But maybe now, maybe I could come out. Maybe I could let other people know that it’s okay, that all that ‘you can play’ stuff isn’t just bullshit they force feed us.” 

Auston turns back around and goes to bed. 

For hours he stares at the ceiling, wondering why Mitch never came to him about it. 

When dawn comes, the bed behind him dips. 

He doesnt even pretend like he was sleeping. “I heard you and Will,” Auston starts. 

Mitch is sitting cross legged, his hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. His eyes are rimmed red. He nods. 

“I think I want to come out soon,” he says. 

Auston reaches forward just enough to wrap a steadying hand around Mitch’s ankle. 

He has to know. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it?” 

“I didn’t want you to think you had to come out,” Mitch confesses.

“If you jump, I jump, right?” Auston teases. That, at least, forces a watery smile from Mitch. 

“Something like that,” he sniffs. 

“I had all night to think about it,” Auston mentions slowly. 

Mitch looks devastatingly hopeful. 

Auston can’t wait to make history with him. “So,” he starts, trying to hide his smile behind a terribly soft poker-face, “what if we did come out together?” 

It’s an idea that changes the centuries to come.

**Author's Note:**

> So I forgot how to write, so this is my attempt at getting back at it and feeling confident enough to finish my other fics 
> 
> Like always, comments feed the writer :)


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